There have been multiple reports so far suggesting that Apple might release an iPad this year with Face ID. A developer has dug into the code of the latest iOS 12 beta and discovered a new avatar generation feature for the iPad which suggests that the company may indeed launch an iPad with Face ID.
Well known iOS-focused developer Steve Troughton-Smith has discovered that AvatarKit, the framework that Apple uses for its Animoji and Memoji features among others, has been changed in the latest iOS 12 beta to support a screen size similar to that of the iPad.
The accompanying screenshot shows what appears to be the Animoji interface on an iPad-style screen. That’s not something we have seen before and it does lend credence to reports that Apple is preparing an iPad with its TrueDepth camera system.
In its current implementation, the interface doesn’t perform facial tracking like it does on the iPhone X, because the handset’s sensor array is required for it to function. This is thus a major hint that Apple is now laying the groundwork in its code for a Face ID-equipped iPad that it may launch in the near future.
Some reports have suggested that the new iPad with Face ID may be launched this summer. Apple hasn’t confirmed or denied anything related to iPads with Face ID so far.
New in iOS 12: AvatarKit comes to iPad. Still requires a TrueDepth camera to do face tracking, though, i.e. an iPad with Face ID pic.twitter.com/9TvP2vsP6X
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) July 3, 2018